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Chapter 55: The Path Beyond Part 2
Standing at the pinnacle of all classes, this was indeed a path beyond.
"But how do I become a Planeswalker?" Brandon asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Tumen paused, his prepared speech evaporating into thin air. The last person he had encountered was Jared, a Knight Templar who, despite Tumen’s best efforts, refused to abandon his faith and join the ranks of the Planeswalkers. This time, Tumen had come fully prepared—but before he could even begin, Brandon seemed ready to agree.
Tumen didn’t understand the difference between the player’s desire for greater power and the knight’s devotion to their cause. Still, finding a worthy successor brought him no small measure of joy. He wasn’t truly Tumen; rather, he was an echo left behind by that legendary Planeswalker—a message meant to guide others. Completing this task would finally bring closure to centuries of duty.
He replied promptly, "To become a Planeswalker, you must first claim your own territory within the 'uhs.' As I’ve told you, the 'uhs' is what the Matatanians call the realm of infinity—a world filled with countless bizarre demi-planes. You’ll need to place your land card horizontally for the first time to establish your initial domain."
Tumen’s tone shifted as he continued, "This will be the first piece of land in your kingdom. Upon it, build your fortress, summon your loyal knights—construct your very first deck. From this moment forward, you will be a Planeswalker, master of an independent world."
Brandon listened with rapt attention, unable to contain his excitement. "May I try?"
Tumen nodded. "Of course, you may attempt it. I recall you already possess a land card—that’s your starting capital. But the real question is, how do you plan to construct your first deck?"
"How should I go about building my first deck?" Brandon asked again. He knew nothing of this system—it was entirely foreign to him. For now, he could only settle into the role of a student. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder: were Planeswalkers unique to this world, or had they existed unnoticed in Amber Sword all along?
When he’d found that card in Jared’s tomb, it hadn’t been particularly difficult. What had led him to discover it when others had not? There must have been some kind of catalyst, though Brandon hadn’t yet uncovered it. For now, he could only listen as Tumen pressed on.
"To build your deck, you must first understand Fate Cards. Beyond their color affiliations, Fate Cards fall into several categories. The first category is creatures, which include characters, heroes, beasts, monsters, and even dragons. When you play one of these cards, the summoned entity manifests from it, each with its own attributes, strengths, weaknesses, and sometimes abilities."
"I’m familiar with that category," Brandon interjected. "Like Chael and the Wind Spirit Spider?"
"Precisely."
"And the second category?"
"The second category consists of spells and abilities. Spell types are determined by the card’s color: red for offense, gray for defense, blue for versatility, black for mystery, and so forth. Each color dictates both the spell’s properties and the conditions under which it can be cast. Only white and cyan spells can be used freely at any time, while others have specific requirements."
"Something like Energy Drain?"
Tumen nodded. "The third category is artifacts. Artifact cards are always white and must attach to a medium upon entering play. This medium could be the Planeswalker themselves, one of their summoned creatures, or even a domain."
"A domain?"
"That’s the fourth category. domains possess qualities of both spells and terrains. They cannot move but wield immense power. The fifth category is resources, which are similar to land cards. Resources can attach to domains or land cards and serve as another source of strength for Planeswalkers. Many advanced decks rely heavily on resource cards."
"Then there’s the sixth category: ritual cards. These are special cards you’ll encounter as you progress from a low-tier to a high-tier Planeswalker. The seventh category is events—another type of special card. Event cards vary widely and trigger effects based on certain conditions." Here, Tumen emphasized, "Event cards are consumable and often can only be used once or a limited number of times. Unlike other cards, they vanish completely after use instead of being sent to the graveyard."
Tumen spoke at length, though he didn’t expect Brandon to memorize every detail about the more specialized cards just yet. Such knowledge would reveal itself naturally as Brandon grew stronger. By the end of his explanation, Tumen concluded, "In essence, a Planeswalker’s deck is built by combining different types of cards—summoning creatures, casting spells, erecting domains, and forming strategies for both offense and defense. However, you don’t dictate their arrangement directly. Instead, the core rules assemble your deck based on your inner thoughts, much like we discussed earlier." Looking at Brandon, he asked, "So, what are your thoughts?"
Brandon felt a surge of excitement. He could almost envision the possibilities. Once his deck was complete, it would grant him an array of new abilities without consuming additional experience points. It was akin to gaining a secondary class atop his current one. In Amber Sword terms, this wasn’t merely powerful—it was extraordinary.
A wave of determination washed over him, and he blurted out, "If we’re describing a class, then the deck should embody the essence of that role. My first deck will represent a knight. A knight needs retainers—those are the creature cards—and his steed and equipment, which are artifacts. The core skills of the class correspond to spell cards."
"Finally, his territory, castle, and income—these are represented by domains and resource cards." Brandon spoke as if driven by an unseen force, surprising even himself with the clarity of his vision. He hadn’t consciously planned to articulate these ideas—they simply spilled forth.
Tumen, however, wasn’t surprised. He smiled faintly as card after card materialized between them, floating midair.
The first was the gray water/land hybrid card Highland Squire, already in the graveyard. Another was the cyan wind elemental card Rubis’ Mercenaries. Its illustration depicted soldiers bearing banners adorned with horned insignias. Their attire varied, but most carried bows, axes, or shields. The card read:
Rubis’ Mercenaries (Alliance of City-States XI)
Wind 8 / Mana 14 [Creature – Human/Mercenary, Level 15]
Place twelve Rubis mercenaries onto the battlefield.
Maintenance Cost: Pay 2 wealth daily for each Rubis mercenary on the field.
"Since Year 172 of the First Era, the mercenaries of Rubis have been renowned for their valor and unwavering loyalty."
As Brandon described the steed and equipment, three more cards appeared: Holy Sword, Golden Banner, and Silver Warhorse. When he mentioned skills, two additional cards emerged: Blade of the White Sun and Charging Formation. Finally, when he spoke of territory, castle, and income, the card Prosperous Gold Mine manifested.
Brandon stared in astonishment at the cards unfolding before him. Despite his amazement, he couldn’t stop speaking until he finished. Catching his breath, he asked, "What’s going on here?"
"Besides your own Holy Sword and Highland Squire, the rest are gifts I leave to you," Tumen explained calmly. "As you articulated your deck, these corresponding cards transferred from my library to yours. They form the foundation of your first deck. Of course, you’ll continue refining your ‘Knight’ deck, but these cards are where your journey as a Planeswalker begins."
Brandon gazed at the cards, swallowing hard. This was a tremendous boon. At the auction, he’d struggled mightily to acquire the relatively mediocre Wind Spirit Spider. Now, in an instant, he’d gained six cards, some of which far surpassed the spider in strength.
Unable to believe his luck, he hesitantly asked, "These are all mine? What next?"
"Next, you’ll place your land card horizontally to establish your domain, providing support for your deck. However, let me clarify something about the relationship between decks and domains. A single deck can draw support from multiple domains, but a single domain supports only one deck. In other words, each deck has its own dedicated pool of land cards. Don’t expect one domain to sustain an entire deck—a robust deck often requires an extensive network of territories."
Brandon nodded.
"Let us proceed to establish your domain," Tumen continued. "Take out your Sacred Grove and display it."
Brandon complied. As he revealed the card and placed it horizontally, a flash of green light blinded him momentarily. Then he realized it wasn’t physical light—it was a vivid emerald expanse unfolding within his mental realm. The vibrant forest spread outward, teeming with life, centered around a towering, mysterious oak tree rising from a shimmering pool.
This was the Sacred Grove.
Brandon finally understood the meaning of placing the card horizontally—it created a domain. He could feel the connection between this forest and his spiritual plane. Though distant, it was unmistakably linked to him.
It was a peculiar sensation—intimate yet detached.
Looking up at Tumen, Brandon wore an expression of awe. After years in Amber Sword, little could surprise him anymore. Excitement, perhaps, but never astonishment. Yet here he was, feeling both amazed and oddly anticipatory.
It was a delightful experience.
"This land card is quite advanced among basic lands," Tumen explained. "Its vast area and defined borders make it a high-level domain. Placing it horizontally grants you two points of nature elements and one point of water daily. In the future, you’ll encounter ‘special lands’ and even ‘legendary lands’ with far greater benefits than basic ones. However, when you place a land card, while you gain mana and elements, you forfeit the bonuses provided by attached resource or domain cards."
"What does that mean?" Brandon asked, confused.
"Look at the cards drawn from your deck. The moment you establish your domain, you become a qualified Planeswalker. Your deck enters your library automatically, and new cards appear in your hand each day."
Four cards materialized in Brandon’s palm: Holy Sword, Rubis’ Mercenaries, Prosperous Gold Mine, and Charging Formation.
"Examine the description of Prosperous Gold Mine," Tumen guided patiently.
Brandon scanned the card and immediately grasped its significance:
Prosperous Gold Mine (Alliance of City-States VII)
Land 2 [Resource – Mine/Wealth]
Attach Prosperous Gold Mine to an unplaced land card to gain 4 wealth.
"Gold within stone—"
"Understood?" Tumen queried. "In official Planeswalker rules, any Fate Card—whether resource, spell, or creature—can only be activated once per day. Used cards reset during the nightly ‘reset phase’ from 10 PM to 2 AM, returning to the library. Attached resource cards also return during this time, awaiting redeployment."
Brandon nodded again, realizing he’d done so more today than in the past month combined. While he projected an image of near-omniscience among Freya and Roma, before Tumen, he was reduced to a mere student.
"One final reminder," Tumen added. "During the daily ‘reset phase,’ all Fate Cards exceeding your hand limit or already placed horizontally (except creatures remaining on the field) are shuffled back into the library. During the subsequent ‘upkeep phase,’ you’ll pay maintenance costs for creatures and replenish your hand to its maximum size."
At this point, Tumen suddenly stopped. His expression changed, and he clapped Brandon on the shoulder. "That’s all we have time for. Your enemies have arrived. I wouldn’t want my successor to perish so soon after taking up the role. You’re now a qualified Planeswalker—use your resources wisely to deal with them."
Brandon started, remembering the troublesome foes waiting outside. Those two soldiers from the Silver Wing Cavalry were manageable, but the enigmatic swordsman wielding gold-rank strength posed a lethal threat. Though Tumen assured him he could handle them easily as a Planeswalker, Brandon still didn’t grasp the source of such confidence.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Brandon snapped open his eyes, finding himself frozen in the same position he’d been in moments ago—reaching for a mana potion. The chaotic auction room remained unchanged, and everything that had transpired felt like a dream. Elemental Emperor Tumen, Fate Cards, Planeswalkers—all seemed phantoms conjured by his imagination.
But Brandon knew better. Clutched tightly in his hand were the cards themselves. There was no time to dwell on the surreal nature of it all—he heard footsteps approaching the door. Swiftly, he drew the card Rubis’ Mercenaries, downed the mana potion, and braced himself. With 6 wind elements in his Elemental Pool, 11 wind crystals, and a full 15-point mana reserve, using the card was effortless. Without hesitation, he revealed it.
Twelve summoning circles appeared in the room.
The two soldiers from the Silver Wing Cavalry likely exhausted their imaginations trying to fathom what awaited them beyond the door. When they burst in, seven crossbows, two longswords, and three axes greeted them, pointed squarely at their necks. By Marsha’s grace, the armed figures resembled actors from a theatrical performance—sporting curly beards, colorful attire, leather armor, and flowing cloaks, each holding round shields.
The soldiers’ eyes widened in disbelief. They didn’t know Brandon’s identity, only that Viscount Teste had labeled him a fugitive. Yet now, confronted with these flamboyant mercenaries, they froze. Were these bandits truly delusional enough to think they were the legendary Rubis mercenaries?
And there sat the infuriating young man, calm and composed amidst his makeshift army, watching them with an air of quiet confidence…
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